Support CRUSHED - A Chapman University Thesis Film

Emma Latcham-Reiter is organizing this fundraiser.

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You have now entered the fundraising page for our Chapman University thesis film, CRUSHED.

Crushed follows an aspiring high school rapper, who struggles to maintain his composure as an ominous crushing sound alienates him from reality.

Bob’s Story

CRUSHED is an abstract high school coming-of-age film that experientially immerses viewers in the emotional turbulence of teenage angst and isolation. The story follows a teenage boy, Bob, haunted by a mysterious sonic phenomenon: a low-frequency "crushing" sound that only he can hear, which seems to signal the looming presence of an undefined, antagonistic force. This force, however, is not supernatural—it represents the harsh reality of growing up.

Bob is drawn to the allure of adult experiences—moments of independence without parental supervision—driven by a nihilistic teenage mindset. Amidst making rap music with his best friends, Alison and Lucas, Bob struggles to navigate this transitional phase of life.

He attempts to escape the crushing sound by performing. Yet, despite his efforts, the sound only serves to further isolate him.

Donation Allocation

All donations will go towards authentically portraying Bob’s experience and bringing the feeling of teenage angst to life. Your donations would fund the following:

Materials for Production Design: We have a mini-stage, a bloody nose and extensive sound equipment like speakers.
Location Rentals: We have multiple locations, including a high school, house, field, and parking lot.
Costume Design: We have band t-shirts, outfits for 20+ extras, and early 2010’s attire.
Meals for Cast & Crew
Sound/Music Design
Stunt Coordinator

Meet the Crew

Director: Casey Crocker

Casey is a director and a writer from Seattle, Washington. He transferred to Chapman University in 2022, as a film production major with an emphasis in directing.

Producer: Emma Latcham-Reiter

Emma is a producer from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She moved to Los Angeles to pursue producing professionally and transferred to Chapman University as a Creative Producing major in 2023.

Producer: Christian Weissmann

Christian is a writer and actor from Chicago, Illinois. He moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting professionally as a teenager and joined Chapman University as a Creative Producing major in 2023.

Cinematographer: Harrison Gaushell

Production Designer: Moira Wu

Editor: Kate Gough

Unit Production Manager: Olivia Shanafelt

Writer: Will Benzian/Casey Crocker

Spread the Noise

We know that not everyone can provide financial support, but sharing this page is just as valuable. Please consider sharing on Instagram, Facebook, or with your friends and family.

If you're interested in learning more, feel free to reach out to our Producers, Emma Latcham-Reiter & Christian Weissmann. It may lead to a chance to get on set!

Thank You

With your contribution, we are able to push the creative boundaries and cover essential production costs. We are grateful for your belief in our work, and can’t wait to share the finished film with you.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration!